HPE: Physical Education

College of Health Sciences

How to Read Course Descriptions

HPE 102. Adventure and Contemporary Activities. 2 Credits.

Provides future physical educators with the knowledge and skills necessary to instruct, demonstrate, and assess a variety of adventure and contemporary activities. Students will be able to setup, facilitate and process various ground initiatives as well as low and high ropes course elements. Students will also become proficient performing various contemporary or "alternative" activities such as mountain biking, orienteering and tchoukball among others.
Typically offered in Spring.

HPE 104. Fitness and Wellness I. 2 Credits.

Fitness and Wellness I is designed to provide Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) students the foundational knowledge needed for teaching a comprehensive K-12 fitness and wellness curriculum. PETE students will gain the knowledge and skills they need to make meaningful and lasting behavior changes needed for living a healthy lifestyle. They will examine contemporary literature and research on fitness and wellness and participate in, design, implement, and assess numerous pedagogical activities.
Typically offered in Fall.

HPE 105. Fitness and Wellness II. 2 Credits.

This course (FW2) builds upon the information and concepts established in Fitness and Wellness I (FW1). While FW1's foci were on scholastic curriculum and pedagogy, FW2 examines individual subjects commonly taught in public school physical education. In this course students will a) examine best instructional practices, b) study developmentally appropriate content, and c) apply pedagogical content knowledge by planning, teaching, and assessing fitness and wellness content. The goal of this course is to provide Physical Education Teacher Certification students with contemporary content and methods necessary to teach meaningful and effective classes.
Pre / Co requisites: HPE 105 requires a prerequisite of HPE 104.
Typically offered in Spring.

HPE 108. Introduction to School Wellness Education. 6 Credits.

Students will gain an introduction to school wellness education and basic foundational knowledge that will be used in succeeding coursework. School Wellness Education is defined as interdisciplinary approach to promoting comprehensive well-being through home, school and community interventions. The course will focus on collaborative approaches to wellness, best practices in wellness education and quality wellness programming in schools. Students will have multiple opportunities to develop lesson plans and teach those plans at a local elementary school. Topics also include Whole School, Whole Child, Whole Community (WSCC), advising, clearances, ethics, sub-disciplines and the history of wellness education. Clearances must be presented during the first week of classes to remain enrolled (see the College of Education).
Typically offered in Fall.

HPE 140. Aquatic Fundamentals/ Emergency Water Safety. 2 Credits.

Review of aquatic skills with advanced stroke techniques, safety, and survival techniques. Successful completion of all skills will possibly earn the student American Red Cross (ARC) Level 6 classification in the three areas of Swimming, Diving, and Fitness Swimming. Emphasis is placed on lead-up skills and teaching progressions of aquatic skills. This is not a beginner swimming course.
Pre / Co requisites: HPE 140 requires that students be able to swim proficiently in shallow and deep water.
Typically offered in Fall & Spring.

HPE 186. Motor Development and Motor Learning. 3 Credits.

Understanding how children and adolescents acquire motor skills and become a skillful movers requires an integration of knowledge from the fields of motor development and motor learning. Motor development focuses on the progressive age-related changes in motor behavior attributed to growth, development and maturation. Motor learning focuses on the relatively permanent changes in motor behavior brought about by practice and experience. The focus of motor development and motor learning each provides a unique aspect to understanding the motor behavior of the moving child and adolescent; however it is the relationship between the aspects that provide a rich understanding of how both acquire motor skills. Physical education teachers must be able to use motor development knowledge to design goals appropriate for the developmental stage and perceptual motor abilities of the learner; and use motor learning knowledge to design appropriate movement tasks and practice conditions for the type of skill.
Typically offered in Fall.

HPE 201. Developmental Gymnastics and Dance. 2 Credits.

The purpose of this two-credit course is to provide health and physical education teacher candidates with the appropriate methods, materials, and skills needed for teaching gymnastics and dance in the K-12 physical education curriculum. Focus will be placed on the development of skills and concepts as they relate to gymnastics and dance.
Typically offered in Spring.

HPE 202. Invasion Games. 2 Credits.

The course will incorporate three elements throughout the semester: teaching, performance, and analysis. The Tactical Games Approach for all subjects will be utilized along with a clear focus on an Invasion Game concept, will be used to develop a clear and logical teaching approach to various physical education subjects. With this approach the students will learn each sport in its entirety, not just the specific skills used when in possession of the ball or disc. Students will be required to develop fundamental demonstration skills for each sport while simultaneously learning the skill progression for each. After learning each skill, the students will then perform systematic analyses on their classmate's performance on various motor skill elements.
Typically offered in Fall.

HPE 203. Net and Wall Games. 2 Credits.

The course provides future physical educators with the knowledge and skills necessary to instruct, demonstrate, and assess the lifetime sports of tennis, badminton, volleyball, and pickleball. The Tactical Games Approach for all subjects will be utilized along with a clear focus on the Invasion Games concept and will be used to develop a clear and logical teaching approach to various physical education topics. With this approach students will learn the different sports in their entirety, not just specific skills used when in possession of the ball. Students will be required to develop fundamental demonstration skills for each sport while simultaneously learning the skill progression for each. After learning each skill, the students will then perform systematic analyses on their classmate's performances on various motor skill elements.
Typically offered in Spring.

HPE 205. Curriculum and Instruction: Inclusion in Health & Physical Education. 3 Credits.

To provide Health and Physical Education majors with the skills, knowledge and attitudes: 1) to provide individuals with disabilities appropriate physical education/activity in inclusive setting, 2) to prepare participants with disabilities for lifetime physical activity and fitness pursuits in the school and community settings, 3) to advocate for appropriate physical activities for individuals with disabilities; 4) to modify the environment for participation of individuals with disabilities to the maximal extent possible in the general physical education class/community based settings; 5) to assess students with disabilities and make recommendations for goals, objectives, specially designed instruction, placement, and modifications to curriculum, equipment, and other support services; 6) to work as a team player on the multidisciplinary team.
Pre / Co requisites: HPE 205 requires prerequisites of KIN 103 and HPE 186. HPE 205 requires a corequisite of HPE 206. Field clearances required.
Typically offered in Spring.

HPE 206. Adapted PE & Health for Students with Disabilities. 3 Credits.

Through classroom and hands-on teaching experiences this course will provide health and physical education teacher certification majors with the skills, knowledge and attitudes to meet the needs of students with disabilities in inclusive and segregated health and physical education classes and to meet the NASPE beginning teacher standards and the PA chapter 49.13 special education standards.
Pre / Co requisites: HPE 206 requires prerequisites of KIN 103, HPE 186, and field clearances. HPE 206 requires a corequisite of HPE 205.
Typically offered in Spring.

HPE 300. Curriculum and Instruction Elementary PE. 3 Credits.

Students in this course will examine the design, implementation and assessment of an elementary physical education program.
Pre / Co requisites: HPE 300 requires prerequisites of KIN 103 and HPE 186.
Typically offered in Fall.

HPE 302. Curriculum and Instruction Mid-Sec PE. 3 Credits.

This third course in pedagogy will relate all topics to the middle and secondary physical education setting. Intended to give students a comprehensive overview of topics that relate to the planning, execution and reflection of lessons presented in the physical education setting.
Pre / Co requisites: HPE 302 requires prerequisites of KIN 103 and HPE 186.
Typically offered in Spring.

HPE 304. Secondary School Wellness Education. 6 Credits.

Teacher candidates will learn to positively impact the wellness of K-12 students through the Whole School, Whole Child and Whole Community framework. As part of the course, students will learn to plan and implement effective middle and high school wellness education lessons, follow developmentally appropriate practices, demonstrate best practices, describe an effective secondary wellness program and design a school wellness policy as required by Federal law. The course addresses the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (6) risk behaviors which lead to premature death and disability.
Pre / Co requisites: HPE 304 requires prerequisites of HPE 108 and HPE 186.
Gen Ed Attribute: Writing Emphasis.
Typically offered in Spring.

HPE 305. Pedagogy and Critical Issues in Urban School Wellness Education. 3 Credits.

This course affords teacher candidates the opportunity to gain the experience, confidence and pedagogical skills to effectively teach school wellness education in an urban setting. The course will examine critical issues such as the social, cultural, historical, political, and economic forces that have shaped their development and that of urban schools. An emphasis will be placed on analyzing and reflecting critically on past and present educational reform initiatives and how they impacted the students, teachers, families and the community. Finally, topics such as the racial achievement gap, immigration, deindustrialization, suburbanization, crime and relevant community institutions will be explored.
Pre / Co requisites: HPE 305 requires prerequisites of HPE 108 and HPE 186.
Gen Ed Attribute: Writing Emphasis.
Typically offered in Spring.

HPE 347. Software Applications and Assessment HPE. 3 Credits.

Students apply word processing and graphics software to produce knowledge tests, worksheets, skill checklists, certificates of merit, and public relations handouts. Spreadsheet software will be applied to budget and inventory projects. Grading, crossword puzzle, computer-assisted instruction, and physical fitness assessment software also will be applied. Students also will learn e-mail.
Typically offered in Spring.

HPE 402. Physical Education Practicum. 3 Credits.

Field-based teaching experience in K-12 health and physical education.
Pre / Co requisites: HPE 402 requires prerequisites of HPE 205, HPE 206, HPE 300, HPE 302, field clearances and FATE (formal admission to teacher education required).
Consent: Permission of the Department required to add.
Typically offered in Fall.

HPE 403. School Wellness Education Practicum. 6 Credits.

Teacher candidates will acquire the knowledge and skills to promote a culture of wellness in the classroom and throughout the school based upon the ten components of the Whole School, Child and Community Model. Teacher candidates will a) demonstrate best instructional practices in wellness education, b) study developmentally appropriate content, c) implement the whole school, whole child and whole community framework, d) analyze and reflect upon their own and others' teaching, and e) apply pedagogical content knowledge by planning, implementing, assessing and reflecting upon teaching experiences in wellness education. The ultimate goal of this course is to effectively implement these strategies through the successful completion of planned instruction.
Pre / Co requisites: HPE 403 requires prerequisites of HPE 300, HPE 304, and Teacher Candidacy.
Typically offered in Fall.

HPE 489. Student Teaching - Elementary. 6 Credits.

Within this course the goal is to immerse teacher candidates into the world of public school education and challenge them to apply both content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge within the elementary school setting. It focuses on developing teacher candidates' oral communication skills. Teacher candidates will specifically be challenged to design and effectively deliver both skills-based health education and physical education instruction. Student teaching will emphasize their ability to: differentiate instruction, design developmentally appropriate learning progressions, integrate technology, assess student learning, demonstrate proficient oral communication skills, advocate for health and physical education, design and implement a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP), and design a professional growth plan.
Pre / Co requisites: HPE 489 requires prerequisites of HPE 205, HPE 206, HPE 300, HPE 304, HPE 305, and HPE 403 with a grade of C or better and Teacher Candidacy. All field clearances required and successful completion of Praxis II test.
Gen Ed Attribute: Speaking Emphasis.
Typically offered in Fall & Spring.

HPE 490. Student Teaching - Secondary. 6 Credits.

Within this course the goal is to immerse teacher candidates into the world of public school education and challenge them to apply both content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge within the elementary and secondary school setting. It focuses on developing teacher candidates' oral communication skills. Teacher candidates will specifically be challenged to design and effectively deliver both skills-based health education and physical education instruction. Student teaching will emphasize their ability to: differentiate instruction, design developmentally appropriate learning progressions, integrate technology, assess student learning, demonstrate proficient oral communication skills, advocate for health and physical education, design and implement a wellness intervention based on the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) initiative, construct a professionalism project, and design a professional growth plan.
Pre / Co requisites: HPE 490 requires prerequisites of HPE 205, HPE 206, HPE 300, HPE 304, HPE 305, and HPE 403 and Teacher Candidacy. All field clearances needed and successful completion of Praxis II test.
Gen Ed Attribute: Speaking Emphasis.
Typically offered in Fall & Spring.